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uh-oh part 1 update, and uh-oh part 2!

Slowly but surely I'm getting it. Got the manual choke on the 87 GL, and got the hoses all worked out (replaced about half of them as needed).

Now...here's what's up. Please read this little update, then I need some advice at the end:

1. put a little gas in carb and fired her off last night after finishing up the choke install and stuff. Even drove it while engine was cold by choking it a little. I was excited!

2. This a.m., it was pretty cold out there; car fired right off, had to drive with it a little choked for optimum running power and take off power, but it was running like a dream.

3. Got off work, and the b***h wouldn't start. It would fire off a little gas, then die. Put gas in carb, it would fire off, start running roughly, finally peter out. When I could get it to run, around 3000 rpm, while holding the gas pedal, it would peter out and die slowly. Choke had little effect, esp. on the idle.

4. Got it going, and it got me home ok. Running a little rough, but oh well.

Questions: 1. I don't think the fast idle linkage is being affected properly by adjusting the choke. I used to be able to pull a choke a little bit and it would speed up the rpms by using the fast idle. I don't know if it needs to be adjusted after putting on a manual choke (although I can't figure out why). How would I know how much to adjust it?

2. The car has twice had a fit starting (getting fuel) in cold weather. Thought it might be water, and used dry gas the last time. But it shouldn't have frozen THAT fast today, even if there might still be a little water. Almost like a sluggish fuel pump? Any thoughts? After the car gets started, it doesn't seem to have any "fuel supply" issues then, but maybe I'm wrong. New fuel filter, so I know that's not it.

I'm so close to having this thing working, and it's driving me absolutely insane. I've got to get it working right and dependable. Any help would be appreciated (and I'm not a mechanic, so please take it easy on me! ;-)

I don't recall when I was working on putting on the choke (and pulling the accellerator cable to move it out of my way one time to reach a screw I dropped) an odor of gasoline implying that it had "squirted" any gas. But I was smelling some gas the whole time while working, obviously, so who knows. Also, on this line, a mechanic who looked at it a few weeks ago and didn't know how to work with Soobs said that he had checked it and it wasn't spraying like it should (I had forgotten about that).

The filter was replaced about a week ago, and I've only run the engine for a little while; I guess it might be clogged again.

One other thing...last week, when we got below freezing, she wouldn't start. As soon as it warmed up, it started right up (a la frozen water in the line). I put in 2 bottles on a full tank of drygas, and have run it some since. Could it STILL be pulling up water enough to freeze?? The temp yesterday dropped into the upper 20's by the end of the workday, and of course, last night...

It is quite likely that there is still water in the fuel system. If the problem only occurs when it's cold out, I think this is quite likely. Pour in some dry-gas, allow it to mix in and emulsify the water molecules, then drain the tank. Put on a new filter as the old one probably has some water collected in it. Refill with gas and put in one bottle of dry-gas to take care of any residual water. While you're at it, dump in some fuel system cleaner.

Hehe...interesting. Wife picked me up from work this afternoon (temps were slightly above freezing) and when we got home I gave it another whorl, just for grins. You guessed it...the sucker started on the first crank. Blew loads of steam for a minute or two, then smoothed right out while I was choking it. After it warmed up, I ran some MMO thru the carb (thought the neighbors were going to call the FD on me!), adjusted the idle just slightly, and the mixture. Still need to play with the mixture a little bit...it's "pooting" a little more than it should.

Anyway...I think that gives me a good feeling regarding the cause of my pain. Water freezing in the line or somewhere. Maybe even in the fuel pump. It'll be interesting to see how it does as soon as we get a warm spell...